Japan Meteorological Agency

The Japan Meteorological Agency (気象庁, Kishōchō?) or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It is also responsible for observation and warning of earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.[1]

Headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, the agency has six regional administrative offices. Four Marine Observatories, five auxiliary facilities, four Aviation Weather Service Centers and 47 Local Meteorological Observatories are also used to gather data, supplemented by weather satellites and research centers.[1]

The JMA also operates the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for the Northwestern Pacific and issues advisories on tropical cyclones in the area.

The JMA has 627 observation points across the nation that measure seismic intensity